Euclid man convicted of killing woman in 2008

A Euclid man was convicted Friday of killing a school teacher in 2008.

Richard Penque, 24, went on trial Oct. 2 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court for murdering 54-year-old Marilyn Habian in her Ball Avenue home in Euclid. She was found shot to death in the basement.

Habian was a teacher at Alexander Graham Bell Elementary School in Cleveland. She also taught ballet at Lakeshore Dance & Gymnastics in Mayfield Village.

The jury convicted Penque, who lived across the street from Habian, on all six counts -- aggravated murder, two counts of aggravated burglary, kidnapping, attempted aggravated arson and tampering with evidence.

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He will be sentenced Nov. 13 by Judge David T. Matia.

The victim died of a single gunshot wound to the chest, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.

Prosecutors say Penque killed Habian and put combustibles on top of the stove and started a fire.

Habian's body was discovered when her boyfriend, Eddie Mitchell, went to check on her the morning of April 7, 2008, after she did not show up for work.

Mitchell previously told The News-Herald he found her car running in the driveway.

According to the police report, a neighbor said she saw someone walking down the driveway of Habian's home about 4:30 a.m.

Habian's house had been broken into less than two months before the homicide.

A man stole shoes and speaker equipment from Habian's 18-year-old son, who sometimes stayed at the house.

Habian spent six years dancing with the Royal Winnipeg company before becoming a teacher.